Wichita eagle., 1887-11-12
THE DECISION.
Gov. 0glesbyS Decision in Full-Who Will
and Who Will Not.

SPRINGFIELD, H., Nov. 1.-THE follow
Anarchist case:
STATE OF ILLINOIS, EXECUTIVE OFFICE,
SPRINGFIELD, Nov. 10, 1887. !
On the 10th day of August. 1856, in the
Cook county criminal court. August Spies,
Michael Schwab. Adolph Fischer, George
Engei aud Louis I.ingg were found guilty
by the verdict of the jury and afterwards
sentenced TO be hanged for the murder of
Matthias j. began. An appeal was taken
from such findings and sentence to the
supreme court of the state. That court
upon ii final hearing and after mature
elaboration unanimously affirmed the
judgment of the court below. The case
now comes before me by petition CT the
defendants for consideration as governor
of the state. If the letters of Albert Par
sons. 4Adolph Fischer, George Engel and
Louis Lingg demanding unconditional re-
lease, or, as they express it, liberty or
death, and protesting in the strongest
mutation of the sentence pronounced
against them can be considered
petitions, pardon. could it be
granted, which might imply any guilt
whatever upon the part of either of them,
would not be such a vindication as they
grounds insisted upon by the four above
named persons, could in no proper sense
be deemed an exercise or of the consti-
tutlonai power to grant reprieveS, COM
mutations and pardons unless based upon
the belief on my part Of their entire limo
cence of the crime of which thev stand con-
victed. A careful consideration of the
evidence in the record of the trial of the
parties as well as all alleged and claimed
for them outside the record has failed to
produce upon my mind any impression
tending to impcach the verdict of the jury
or the judgment of the trial court of the
supreme court affirming the guilt of all
these parties. Satisfied, therefore rs | am
of their guilt, am precluded from con-
sidering the question of communication of
the sentences of Albert r. Parsons, Adolph
Fischer, George Engle and Louis Lingg to
Imprisonment in the penitentiary as they
emphatically declare they will not accept
such Communication Samuel Fielden,
Michael Schwab and August Spies unite
ency. Fielder and Schwab. in ad-
dition present separate and supple
mentary petitions for the communication of
their sentence. While as / said above, am
satisfied of the guilt of ali the par
ties, as found by the verdict of the
jury, which was sustained by
the judgments of the courts, a most
careful conSiUtrdtlou VI the WEOle SUBJECT
leads me to the conclusion that the sentence
of the law as to Samuel Eielden and Mich
ael Schwab may be modified as to each of
them il the interest of humanity and with
out doing violence TO public justice. And
as to the said Samuel Fielden and Michael
Schwab the sentence is committed to i'm
prisonment in the penitentiary for life As
to all the other defendants, l do not feel
justified in interfering with the sentence
of The court. While l would gladly have
come TO different conclusion in regard to
Adolph Fischer, George Engel, Albert r.
Parsons and Louis Lining. | regret to say
that under the solemn obligations of my
office, | have been unable to do So
[Signed,l RICHARD j. OGLEsBY,
Governor